Disposable cigarette case



Aug- 2, 1950 l.. A. TUOMALA ET AL 2,947,413

DIsPosABLE CIGARETTE CASE FiledNOv. l2, 1957 United States Patent 2,941,413 DIsPosABLE CIGARETTE CASE` Filed Nov. iz, 1957, ser. No. 695,593

I4 claims. (ci. 20s-41.1)

The present invention relates to an improved case or container for cigarettes and the like, which is attractive, crushproof and disposable.

In the packaging of items for sale such as cigarettes, it is conventional to employ inexpensive, disposable containers, and numerous cigarettes are sold in crush-proof containers for protecting the cigarettes during use of the pack. This invention relates to an improvement in such containers. It is contemplated in the present invention that the container shall resemble a cigarette case of the type widely sold for carrying a supply of cigarettes and commonly formed of metal or the like. While such permanent type cases have many advantages, they have heretofore been too costly to be employed in normal packaging of cigarettes. The container or case of the present invention is endowed with the pleasing appearance and utility of permanent type cases, and yet is adapted for packaging and sale with cigarettes. This desir-able result is attained by simplicity of design, utilization of inexpensive materials, and low assembly or fabrication cost.

In comparison to conventional cigarette packages, the present invention is highly superior in providing a package which is decorative and utilitarian. Common cellophane and paper cigarette packages sulfer from` the disadvantage of inadequate protection of the contents, poor appearance and inadequate access. Packages formed as boxes of heavier material generally resemble in appearance the common paper package and likewise afford relatively poor access to the cigarettes therein.

This invention provides a case that is readily opened and closed to provide full access to the interior at the portion of the contained cigarettes where they may be most readily removed without damage thereto. Thus in distinction to end-opening packages, the present invention provides access to the entire length of the cigarettes and further provides for removal of the cigarettes by gripping the centers` thereof whereby cigarette mutiliation or damage in removal is minimized.

It is an object of the present invention to provide 'an improved disposable package for cigarettes `and the like, formed of -a substantially rigid material and providing full access to contained cigarettes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved disposable cigarette case for packaging cigarettes for sale and comprising only two folded sheets of material.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a disposable crush-proof cigarette package or case, formed by folded sheets of semi-rigid material and adapted for rapid inexpensive manufacture.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a disposable package for cigarettes and the like,

A still further object of the invention is to provide` 2,3414 l Patented Aug. 2, 1960 2 a `disposable semi-rigid package for cigarettes or the like providing full access and viewing of the contents in open position and having members protecting the contents from damage in removal thereof.

The invention posses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a projected view of the case in open posia tion.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the case in closed position and indicating in partial phantom the opened position.

Figure 3 is a partial view in section taken at 3--3 of Fig. 2. Y

Figure 4 is a plan view of the outer sheet before foldmg.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the inner sheet before folding.

Considering now the invention in some detail and referring rst to Fig. 4, illustrating the outer sheet from which the case is formed, there is therein illustrated -a sheet 11 cut, stamped, or otherwise formed from a light, semi-rigid material such as heavy paper or cardboard. The sheet 11 is generally rectangular with end aps 12 and 13 defined by fold lines, which may if desired be partially perforated. Along each side of the sheet are provided four laterally extending side flaps 16-19, with the central side flaps 17 and 18 adjacent and the outer side aps 16 and 19 extending from the end corners. Along each side of the sheet 11 spaced equally inward are a pair of fold lines 21 and 22 extending between the side edges of the end flaps 12 and 13. The `fold -line V21, which may be indented if desired, defines a iirst side 23 between the lateral flaps 16 and 17 and another side 24 between the lateral flaps 18 and 19. The opposite side of the sheet is identical to the one described above in having four lateral or side flaps 26-29 aligned with the aps 16-19 respectively and a pair of sides 31 and 32 outside the fold line 22 and defined between flaps 26-27 and 28-29.

Between the side flaps on opposite sides of the sheet there are formed fold lines transversely -across the sheet and including a central line 33 extending between the juncture of aps 17--18 and flaps 27-23 and lines 34 and 36 from the outer edges of these aps. A fold line 37 between the outer edges of the flaps 16 and 26 defines the end ap 12 and another fold line 38 extends between the inner edges of these side flaps. Likewise at the other end of the sheet a fold line 39 between the outer edges of the side flaps 19 and 26 defines the inner edge of the end ilap 13, and another fold line 41 extends between the inner edges of these flaps. There is defined a case bottom 42 bounded by the longitudinal fold lines 21 and'22 and by the transverse fold lines 36 and 41, while a case top 43 is defined by the longitudinal fold lines 21 and 22 and the transverse fold lines 34 and 38. Additionally, upper and lower front ends of the case 44 and 46 respectively are formed between the longitudinal fold lines 21 and 22 by the transverse lines 37 and 38 and by the transverse lines 39 and 41.

'Ihe above described sheet 11 is readily formed into a hinged case by folding the sheet in half along the central transverse fold line 33 and then folding the top 43 and bottom 42 outward at right angles along the linesA 34 and 36. The ends are then folded upwards along the lines 38 and 41. In this position the lateral flaps 18 and 19 are then 4folded toward each other, as are the flaps 28 and 29 to be along the longitudinal fold lines 21 vand 22 respectively. The sides 24 and 3-2 are then folded up along the longitudinal lines 21 and 22, so as to be against the ap pairs 18-19 and 28--29 respectively, in which position the sides and flaps are glued or otherwise secured together. The'other end of the sheet is likewise treated to secure side 23 to the flaps 16 and 17 and the side V31 to the fiaps 26 and 27. The end fiaps 12 and 13 are then turned downward inwardly along the lines 37 and 39 respectively and attached as by gluing to the ends 44 and 46 respectively t'o form an open case of substantially rigid construction that is foldable about the central transverse fold line 33 to close same. It will be appreciated that the height of the sides is equal to the height of the ends and that the length of the sides is preferably twice the lengthcf the lateral fiaps. With the foregoing sheet configuration it is possible, as described, to form a hinged case of substantially rigid construction, even from a light material; however, the resultant product is materially improved by the provision of a liner for the case, as illustrated'in Fig. 5.

The liner is formed of a single sheet `51 of light material, such as heavy paper or the like, and having a generally rectangular configuration with an elongated `lateral flap '52V across one end thereof extending from the sides and having a width in excess of the height of the case sides 23, etc. A central transverse fold line 53 is formed across the liner sheet 51 and a pair of transverse fold lines `54 and 56 extend across the sheet on opposite sides of the central line at a distance therefrom substantially equal to the height of the case sides. A liner bottom 57 is defined between the fold line 56 and the iiap 52, while a liner top '58 is defined between the fold` line I54 and the other endof the sheet. About the liner top 58 there are disposed liaps 59 on three sides thereof connected to the liner top along fold lines and having a width substantially one-half the width of the lateral'fiap 52, both substantially equalling twice the width of a case side.

The liner is readily folded intd condition for insertion in the case by turning upward the flaps '59 about the top '58 and folding the lines 53, 54 and 56 Vto dispose the line 53 above the top and the lines 54 and 56 together. The lateral end fiap '52 is then folded normal to the liner top upwards from the plane of the figure and the extensions of the ap are turned ninety degrees to' be along the edges of the bottom and normal thereto. In this position the liner is readily placed into the open Ycase and preferably secured thereto as by gluing to strengthen the resulting structure. With theV tops and bottoms of the liner and case together, the combination is as shown in Figure 1 with the lower liner sides, as formed by the flap 52, extending above the case sides.` An indentation 61 is preferably formed in the Liner end Hap '52 at the center thereof to reduce the `width thereof to that of the case end, Yas also vshown in Figure l.

The resultant Vcase with liner is shown Ain Figure l, wherein it will be seen that with the liner projecting upwards from the case sides, the top of the case in clo'sing fits over the lower liner sides with the sides of the case -top coming into contact with the sides of the case bottom. In this manner, the top makes'a frictionrt with the bottom, so' as to 'normally remain closed.

Further features of the present inventioninclude a Y first pair of fingers 62, formed of a material that is preferably-somewhat resilient and secured to the back ofthe case atop the bottom portion thereof. These fingers 62 extend from the central'foldline 53 of the liner preferably in spaced parallelism toward the vfront of the case, `terminatin'gshort of the front, as shown. A second pair of fingers-63extend across' the topof the case interiorbr thereoffromithecenterline 53 i ofthe linerV toward the case front and also terminating short thereof. Both pairs of fingers are preferably disposed generally outwardly of the center of the case toward the sides thereof so that cigarettes or the like disposed beneath the fingers are best gripped for removal adjacent their centers. Also, the pairs of fingers are preferably offset laterally with respect to each other, so as not to contact in the closed case position for minimizing the vertical roo'm Vin the case required by the fingers.

in order to facilitate removal of cigarettesV or the like retained in the case, a pair of ribbons -64-66 may be provided. The primary purpose of the ribbons is to facilitate removal ofthe first cigarette due to their compact-- ness in the case. Once the first cigarette is removed enough clearance is Vgained'to extract the remaining cigarettes without use of the ribbon. As here shown, one ribbon is attached to the top and one to the bottom of the case near the outer liner edge, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 2V. With the placement of vcigarettes or the like ,in the case beneath the lingers,rthe.cigarettes at the front of both top and bottom are not covered by the fingers, as shown in Fig. 2, and the ribbons are wrapped around the respectively adjacent end cigarettes not only to provide means for originally retaining the Iend cigarettes in position but also to provide means for removal thereof. Thus it is only necessary to `grasp the free end o feither' ribbon and pull upwards from the case for the end kcigarette to be pulled out of the case for ready use. Note particularly that the ribbons act upon the cigarettes or the like near the longitudinal centers thereof and that even in the removal of cigarettes by` grasping same, the centers of the cigarettes are most accessible so that ends of the cigarettes are not damaged by handling.

In Figure 2 there is shown a case according Vto `the invention andiilled with cigarettes 67 with the pairs of fingers 62 and `63 holding Asame into the top and bottom of the case and the `ribbons 64 and 66 v turned backabout the end cigarettes prior to use. To use the case, it isy o'nly necessary to pivot or swing the case open and to vpull one of the ribbons Vto raise a cigarette up and out `of the case. In useY the case is good-looking and highly utilitarian in protecting vcontained materials from crush ing, While providing full access tothe case interior .and

yet directing the user to' the center of the cigarette for minimum damage thereto in removal.

What is claimed is:

l. An improved disposable crush proof cigarette-case vcomprising a first generally rectangular sheetof material having central transverse fold lines and aps extending laterally from the corners and center thereof with edge aps therebetween, said first sheet being folded with the edge iiaps and transverse flaps secured together to form two like shallow top and bottom boxes pivotable together along a connecting central fold line, a second generally .rectangular sheet having edge flaps about one end thereof and central fold lines and an end flap extending laterally across the other end, said second Asheet disposedwithin the top and bottom portions of said folded firstsheet to Y form a liner therefor, the width of said second sheet end flap exceeding the width of the edge'flaps of said first sheet and the width of said second sheet edge flaps lesser than the widtfh of the edge flaps of said first sheet and the combined width of said second sheet edge flaps and end flap equalling the width of two edgefiaps'of said first sheet whereby said case is frictionally retained in pivotally closed position. t

2. A cigarette case as claimed in -claim l further `defined by two pairs of resilient fingers extending in opposite directionsfrom the pivotal' centralrfold line of'saifl second sheet withinsaid case .and adjacent the-sides of thecase toward and short ofrtheiends thereof.

3. .An improved case Vfor packaging of cigarettes iand the like l comprising-.a sheet of .semirigid:material:l having side and end flaps secured together and marginally.; at

f rightfangles to` rectangularl top and bottom :portionsilseparated by a central folded portion to form a shallow box with the central folded portion dividing the box into equal box parts pivotal about said central folded portion to fold together into a single closed container, and a liner for said box parts having a central folded portion disposed to said central folded portion of said sheet, top and bottom portions disposed at the top and bottom portions of said sheet, and having at one end an elongated end flap at right angles to one of said top and bottom portions and of a width Vgreater than that of the aps of said sheet wlhile being arranged adjacent the `end and side aps in the corresponding one of said box parts to extend thereabove to provide a friction engagement with the end and side aps of the second of said box parts upon closing of said case.

4. An improved case as defined in claim 3 further char acterized by two pairs of resilient fingers connected to the central folded portion of said liner and extending in opposite directions therefrom to cover said two parts of the box for retaining cigarettes and the like therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

